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Crossover Capacitors for Accuton Tweeters - Solen -> ClarityCap -> Jupiter -> Duelund

I've got Coincident Pure Reference Extremes with an Accuton ceramic tweeter and have moved through four different capacitors to provide my high pass filtering.  The speakers only have one 4.7uF capacitor in the crossover (no resistors or other components), so it was pretty easy to hear the sound of each cap. 

Started with stock Solen's, then tried Clarity Cap CMR, then Jupiter Copper Foil & Wax, and finally Duelund Tinned Copper CAST.  Just installed the Duelunds on Monday and despite not being broken in, they sound absolutely amazing.  Smooth, sweet, and detailed without any grain or harshness.  Just really spectacular, they let me hear more details while also preventing the tweeters from being aggressive, which has been a problem I've had to work hard on ever since owning the speakers.  

To comment lightly about the other caps I heard, I actually thought the stock Solens were pretty good.  They had a nice sense of color... when I changed out to the clarity cap, things got a little clearer, but felt too neutral.  I read that they are "ruler flat" and found that a good description.  I liked the cleanness, but missed some of the tone & color from the Solens... felt like I got a good combination of those two traits when upgrading to the Jupiter Copper Foils.  After about 6 months of the Jupiters I finally bought the Duelunds as a self-birthday present, and they completely lived up to my (very high) expectations.  Just beautiful, organic music.  Can't wait to see where they go over the next 200 hours.  Only have 10 to 20 on them so far.  

If you've got an accuton tweeter and can handle the stupid cost (and size), I concur with everyone else's recommendations (thanks humblehifi, jeff's place, @charles1dad, & @grannyring), they will make your speakers sound better.
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Showing 3 responses by grannyring

grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,436 posts
 
The new Duelund tinned copper CAST caps are easily the finest sounding capacitor I have heard. They are fantastic and to my ear significantly better than the standard CAST Duelund Capacitor and Jupiter copper foils.  However, they are so darn expensive. I use them and the .01 uf bypass capacitors regularly now. They bring you closer to the emotion and feeling of the music.

I am also a big fan of the Duelund tinned and stranded copper wire in cotton. To my ear they sound as beautiful as the capacitors. Using this wire for speaker cables, ICs, DC power supplies, Internal speaker wire etc...has been a revelation. Great products from Duelund.

I placed the Duelund tinned copper caps and wire inside my Lyngdorf 2170 and smiled so big with the result. Just so engaging and beautiful sonically. Music flows in a way that causes you to just melt away into the music

I have one other recommendation that is cut from the same sonic cloth. Use the Perfect Path Audio Total Contact paste over all your solder connections and part lead outs for another significant jump in musical bliss. Enjoy!
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,436 posts
 
Cal7313, I am most happy for you! I realize it is risky to spend big money on a part that you were not 100% sure would deliver the sonic goods you hoped for and expected. Turned out to be a great investment in your enjoyment of music. Good for you!
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,436 posts
 
The Duelund caps in question are not colored based on my listening and testing. I would also say the Jupiter copper foil caps are not colored. Both are even handed top to bottom and do not exaggerate any part of the frequency spectrum. I have used the Alumen caps and currently have them in my Dali Epicon 6 speakers as part of an upgrade I did. I like these caps as you do. However, they are not more neutral than the Duelund tinned copper or Jupiter, but they are flatter sounding and less dimensional sounding. I wanted to place the Duelund tinned copper CAST in my Dali speakers, but it is simply too costly for me right now. The Alumen Caps are one of favorites in terms of value. I like them more than Mundorfs which to my ears are tipped up in the presence area and not as natural or neutral.

I do not hear a warm or romantic editorializing with the Duelund or Jupiter caps. They offer improved realism over Alumen with instruments, voice and venue sounding as they do ...... not a facsimile or colored rendition. They sound so much more real! Recordings sound unique and fresh with no sense whatsoever that the cap is imparting a sound character of its own to each recording. I have not heard this sort of editorializing in my builds or mods for myself and customers.

Perhaps what you hear as distortions or editorializing is actually the tonal nuances and completeness of the instruments’ sound being fully revealed with the Duelund CAST tinned copper cap? 
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